Storage box

ABSTRACT

A storage box includes alternately arranged latch structures and protrusions disposed on an end of a side panel, latch holes, and recessions corresponding to the latch structures and protrusions disposed on the other end of the side panel, such that four side panels are coupled to form a frame. The bottom of each side panel includes a limit groove such that four sides of a bottom board are fixed into these limit grooves to serve as the bottom of the storage box. If the storage boxes are arranged side by side with each other, the protrusion on a fixture is latched into a connecting section, so as to fix the corresponding positions of the side-by-side storage boxes. The side-by-side boxes are fixed with each other by inserting a hook structure separately disposed on both sides of a limit component into a groove disposed at the top of each side panel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a storage box, and more particularly to a storage box structure comprised of a plurality of components, such that a plurality of storage boxes can be fixed together with each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, most storage boxes are fixed storage boxes. In other words, the storage box has a fixed volume after it is manufactured and its volume cannot be reduced by folding the storage box. The advantages of such fixed storage box include its strong strength and heavy-duty characteristic. However, the fixed storage box has a drawback that its volume cannot be reduced when it is not in use. For storage and transportation, the volume of such storage box occupies too much space.

Therefore, some storage boxes are designed as foldable one. For example, the storage box is made of soft cloth, and hard rod components are installed separately at each edge of the storage box, so that the soft box can be supported by the rod components to define a storage box. If the storage box is not in use, then the storage box made of the soft cloth can be folded into a small volume and the rod components can be taken apart. However, such soft foldable storage box has a drawback of its poor strength. If users want to stack several storage boxes in order to save storage space, then the connection between the rod components may be difficult (or even impossible), and the strength of the storage boxes becomes much fragile than a standalone storage box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art fixed storage box that cannot reduce its volume for storage or transportation and wastes much space. The invention also improves the insufficient strength of the prior art storage box.

The second objective of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art that is inconvenient to stack several storage boxes to form a larger cabinet, and the storage boxes cannot be fixed or stacked.

A storage box of the present invention comprises four identical side panels, and each side panel includes alternately arranged latch structures and protrusions disposed on one side of the side panel, and latch holes and recessions corresponding to the latch structures and protrusions disposed on the other end of the side panel. The four side panels are fixed to each other to form a frame, and a limit groove is disposed on an internal side of the bottom of each side panel, such that the four sides of a bottom board can be fixed to the limit grooves to serve as the bottom of the storage box. A folding line structure is disposed at the middle of the bottom board, so that the bottom board can be folded into halves. If the storage box is not in use, the bottom board can be folded along the folding line structure to reduce the volume for storage or transformation. Since each side panel is an independent component, therefore the present invention can improve the shortcomings of the prior art fixed storage box that has a fixed volume and wastes too much space. The latch structures and protrusions are used to connect with the corresponding latch holes and recessions, such that the side panels can be securely fixed with each other. Therefore, the storage box of the present invention not only can be separated, but also can have a strong strength after they are assembled.

If the storage boxes are arranged side by side, the protrusion of a fixture can be latched into a connecting section at the bottom side of the side panel so as to fix the corresponding positions of the side-by-side storage boxes. A hook structure separately disposed on both sides of a limit component is hooked into a groove at the top side of the side panel, such that two side-by-side storage boxes will not be separated from each other. Therefore, users can stack several storage boxes transversally into a large and secure cabinet. By the fixture of different shapes, the cabinet can be formed in different combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the disassembled structures of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the bottom board of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a front view of stacked storage boxes according to the present invention.

FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of a section as depicted in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a back view of stacked storage boxes according to the present invention.

FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of a part of a long bar shaped fixture.

FIG. 4C is an enlarged view of a part of a rectangular fixture.

FIG. 5A is a back view of three side-by-side storage boxes according to the present invention.

FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of a part of an L-shape fixture.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the present invention installed with a wheel component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The technical contents of the present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show various embodiments of the invention.

Refer to FIG. 1 for the schematic view of disassembled structures of the present invention. A storage box 10 of the present invention comprises four identical side panels 11, each having alternately arranged latch structures 111 and protrusions 112 disposed on one end of the side panel 11 and latch holes 113 and recessions 114 disposed on the other end of the side panel 11 and corresponding to the latch structures 111 and protrusions 112. The latch structures 111 are latched into the latch holes 113, and the protrusions 112 are pressed into the recessions 114, such that when the four side panels 11 are connected with each other to form a frame, the side panels 11 can be securely connected with each other, so that the storage box 10 has a better strength and an overall applicability.

Further, one of the other two edges of the side panel 11 is a bottom edge 12 and a limit groove 121 is disposed at an internal side of the bottom edge 12, and a bottom board 20 has a folding line structure 201 at its middle (as shown in FIG. 2). The four sides of the bottom board 20 correspond to these limit grooves 121. After three side panels 11 are combined, the bottom board 20 is inserted along the limit grooves 121, and then the fourth side panel 11 is assembled, so that the bottom board 20 is fixed to a frame formed by the four side panels 11. The bottom board 20 can be folded into halves along the folding line structure. If the storage box is not in use, the bottom board 20 can be folded along the folding line structure 201 to reduce the volume for storage or transportation. Since each side panel 11 is an independent component, therefore the present invention can overcome the shortcomings of the prior art fixed storage box that occupies too much space.

Further, the storage box 10 includes a top side 13 disposed at an edge corresponding to the bottom side 12 and a handle section 131 disposed proximate to the middle of the top side 13, such that users can move the storage box 10 easily by using the handle section 131.

Refer to FIGS. 3A and 3B for the front view and the enlarged view of stacked storage boxes according to the present invention. If a user wants to place the storage boxes 10 side by side with each other and stack the storage boxes 10 transversally to form a larger cabinet, then the groove 132 at an internal side of the top side 13 of the side panel 11 is used. A latch structure 41 disposed on both sides of a limit component 40 is latched into the groove 132 proximate to the top edge 13, such that the top sides 13 of two side panels 11 can be connected together.

Refer to FIGS. 4A and 4B for the back view and the enlarged view of stacked storage boxes according to the present invention. The side panel 10 of the present invention further comprises alternately arranged latch structures 111 and protrusions 112 at an end, a connecting section 115 disposed proximate to the limit groove 121 as shown in FIG. 1, and corresponding penetrating holes 122 of the connecting section 115 disposed at the bottom side 12 on the other end. If the user wants to stack the storage boxes 10 side by side with each other to form a larger cabinet, then the protrusion 31 of a fixture 30 is latched separately into two connecting sections 115 through two adjacent penetrating holes 122 to fix the bottom sides 12 of the side panels 11 of two side-by-side storage boxes 10. Therefore, the two storage boxes 10 are connected at the corresponding positions.

The fixture 30 could be in a long bar shape and includes a protrusion 31 disposed on both ends of a side (as shown in FIG. 4B) for fixing the bottom sides 12 of two side-by-side storage boxes 10. The fixture 30 could be a rectangular fixture 30 a as shown in FIG. 4C and includes a protrusion 31 a disposed separately at four corners. If the storage boxes 10 are arranged side by side with the four corners, then the rectangular fixtures 30 a can fix the corresponding positions of four storage boxes 10 at a time.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the fixture 30 could be an L-shape fixture 30 b and includes a protrusion 31 b disposed separately at both ends and a bent position. If an odd number of storage boxes 10 are stacked with each other, then three corners are arranged side by side with each other. Therefore, the L-shape fixture 30 b can fix the corresponding positions of three storage boxes 10 at one time.

In summation of the description above, users can change a combination of stacking several storage boxes 10 together to form a larger cabinet such as an exhibition stand for displaying decorative items or collections according to the space limitation and user requirements.

Refer to FIG. 6 for another preferred embodiment of the present invention. With the penetrating hole 122 and connecting section 115 on the bottom edge 12, the storage box 10 of the invention includes a wheel component 50, and an insert section 51 at the top side of the wheel component 50 is latched into the connecting section 115 through the penetrating hole 122, such that when the four corners at the bottom of the storage box 10 have the wheel components 50, users can push or pull the storage box 10 easily to enhance the applicability of the storage box 10.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. 

1. A storage box, comprising: four identical side panels, each having alternatively arranged latch structures and protrusions disposed on an edge of the side panel, and latch holes and recessions disposed on the other end of the side panel and corresponding to the latch structure and the protrusions, such that the four side panels are coupled to form a frame, and a bottom side being disposed on an end of both edges of the side panel and a limit groove being disposed at an internal side of the bottom side; a bottom board, including four sides to correspond with the limit grooves for being inserted into and fixed to the limit grooves; and a folding line structure, disposed at the middle of the bottom board for folding the bottom board.
 2. The storage box of claim 1, wherein the bottom side includes a top side disposed at a corresponding side and a handle section disposed proximate to the top side.
 3. The storage box of claim 1, wherein the bottom side includes a groove disposed at an internal side of the top side corresponding to the bottom side, such that when the storage boxes are arranged side by side with each other, the latch structure disposed separately on both sides of a fixture is latched into two grooves to limit the corresponding position of the side-by-side storage boxes.
 4. The storage box of claim 1, wherein the side panel includes a connecting section disposed at an edge of the alternately arranged latch structures and the protrusions and proximate to the limit groove, and a penetrating hole disposed on another edge and corresponding to the connecting section.
 5. The storage box of claim 3, further comprising an insert section of a wheel component for being inserted into the connecting section through the penetrating hole.
 6. The storage box of claim 3, wherein when the storage boxes are placed side by side and a protrusion of a fixture is latched into the connecting section through the penetrating hole to fix the corresponding positions of the storage boxes.
 7. The storage box of claim 6, wherein the fixture is in a long bar shape and includes a protrusion separately disposed on both ends of a side of the fixture.
 8. The storage box of claim 6, wherein the fixture is in an L-shape and includes a protrusion separately disposed on both ends and a bent position of the fixture.
 9. The storage box of claim 6, wherein the fixture is a rectangular fixture and includes a protrusion disposed at each of the four corners on the surface of the fixture. 